OTTAWA — It was another hot and muggy day in Canada’s capital Friday, but goosebumps were still possible.
Brooke Henderson’s annual charity tournament became an Olympic sendoff party for her and her caddie/sister Brittany and the participants at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club embraced the theme as the Hendersons prepared to depart for Rio and golf’s return to the Olympic Summer Games.
The participants wore red and white outfits and decorated their carts with Canadian flags, red and white crepe paper and even Canadian-themed beach towels.
“I got chills seeing everybody here in red and white for the Olympic sendoff for Brittany and me,” Brooke said.
Henderson, the No. 3-ranked player in the world, will be one of the favorites at the Olympic tournament. Henderson and Alena Sharp will represent Canada in the women’s competition Aug. 17-20. Canada is the defending champion in Olympic golf. George S. Lyon won the gold in 1904, the last time golf was an Olympic sport.
“I think it’s super exciting,” said Henderson. “Over 100 years ago, Canada won. I think we have a really strong team, Alena Sharp and I - she’s been playing amazing golf for the past year - and we’ve really become good friends. We really motivate each other. Both of us have really been focusing on the Olympics and trying to have a peak week. I think we have a really good chance of bringing home that gold medal and making Canada proud.”
The Hendersons were made honorary members at the Hunt Club in May. The club will host the 2017 CP Canadian Women’s Open.
“There’s no bigger stage than the Olympics and send off our fellow members to represent our country is very exciting for us,” said Boris Uvakov, the Hunt Club’s general manager and chief operating officer. “This event is special not only because it’s a sendoff for the Olympics but also because it’s raising money for a very good charity in support of junior golf in Canada.
“To support junior golf is very important to us.”
About $35,000 was raised for Henderson’s foundation which will make donations to boost junior golf.
Brooke and Brittany will leave for Houston, Tex., Wednesday for a two-day training camp with Sharp and Tristan Mullally, Golf Canada’s national women’s coach. They will leave for Rio on Friday.
“It is going to be more of a links style course,” Henderson said of the layout in Barra da Tijuca, designed for the Olympics by architect Gil Hanse. “It is going to be very windy, with a lower trajectory ball flight. With that being said, the greens are brand new so they are going to be extremely firm and fast, so I’ll have to make sure I’m landing it soft into the greens. There’s a lots of little things I’ll have to work on.
“I know my game is right there and all it takes is four solid rounds of golf and hopefully I’ll be standing on that podium come Sunday.”
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